The present invention relates to a ratchet tool that has a driving member rotatably received in the tool head and several pawls received in notches in the outside of the driving member so as to be engaged with the teeth in an inside of the tool head.
A conventional ratchet tool generally includes a tool head and a hole is defined through the too head so that a driving member is rotatably received in the hole of the tool head. A recess is defined in an inside of the hole in the tool head so as to receive a pawl therein and the pawl is engaged with the teeth defined in an outside of the driving member. The pawl is biased by a spring so that when rotating the tool in one direction, the pawl is securely engaged with the driving member so as to tighten or loosen an object. On the other hand, when rotating the tool in the other direction, the pawl moves over the teeth of the driving member and the driving member is remained still. Although this arrangement is used for a long period of time, it requires a special tool and drill to make the recess in the inside of the hole of the tool head and the special tool and drill make the manufacturing of the ratchet tool become high.
The present invention intends to provide a ratchet tool that does not need to drill the recess in the inside of the hole of the tool head.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ratchet tool which comprises a tool head having a hole defined therethrough and teeth are defined in an inside of the hole. A driving member is rotatably received in the hole and has a plurality of are notches defined in an outer periphery of the driving member. Each notch comprises a short surface, a long surface and an arcuate surface which is connected between the short surface and the long surface.
Each notch has a pawl received therein which is an elongate member having engaging teeth defined in a first end thereof and a rounded convex extending from a second end of the pawl. The engaging teeth are engaged with the teeth in the inside of the hole. A short side and a long side are respectively connected to two sides of the rounded convex. The rounded convex is engaged with the arcuate surface of the notch corresponding thereto. The short side faces the short surface and the long side faces the long surface. A protrusion extends from one of a top and a bottom of each of the pawl.
A spring ring is mounted to the protrusions of each of the pawls and pushes the pawls toward the driving member.